Staff at new Aalborg hospital exposed due to lack of privacy in changing rooms

Staff at Aalborg University Hospital are forced to change clothes in full view of colleagues due to poorly designed changing rooms, Danish broadcaster DR reports.

The changing facilities, used by porters, doctors, lab technicians, and nurses, open directly onto a busy corridor, leaving employees exposed in their underwear—or completely naked—whenever the door is used. Jan Trangeled, union representative for the hospital’s porters, described the situation as “deeply uncomfortable,” particularly when staff must later work closely with colleagues who have seen them undressed.

Trangeled first raised the issue with management a month and a half ago, but no permanent solution has been implemented. Some employees now dread arriving at work, he said, warning that the lack of privacy could drive staff to quit. “In the worst case, people won’t want to stay in a place where it’s unpleasant to be,” he told DR.

The hospital’s regional administration acknowledged the problem in a written statement, confirming ongoing discussions with staff to find a “satisfactory solution for everyone.” As a temporary fix, porters have set up a mobile partition to block the view into one changing room, but Trangeled stressed the need for a durable fix across all facilities.

The issue follows earlier reports that the hospital also lacks sufficient lockers, forcing staff to leave belongings in bags on the floor.